Uncertainty lingers for Spring Lake residents, now 90 days without running water
SPRING LAKE, NC (WTVD) -- There is no official timeline on when residents who live in the Garden Grove community will be forced out of their homes, but the county has requested they make arrangements to move.
The residents have been without running water for nearly 90 days.
"We're trying to stand up for ourselves. We're trying to make things happen. But when you're standing alone, what else can you do?" Anecia Glover said.
Glover has been the face of Garden Grove throughout the ordeal, which began through no fault of the residents, but because of a water bill backlog left unpaid by the property owner.
That backlog was upward of $60,000, Spring Lake officials told ABC11.
"My drive to fight ... I'm tired. I am. I'm tired," Glover said.
She said things have changed. Community morale has taken a hit. And even worse, the Portable toilets and washing stations that were donated have been removed.
A community that once stood together is now divided.
"It's weighing on your mental, it's weighing on your spiritual and your physical, you know," Glover said. "It's draining because you wake up with this on your mind, and you go to bed with this on your mind"
Spring Lake said running water to Garden Grove was turned off in May because of the bill backlog that the owners never paid.
ABC11 later learned of a failing septic system in need of repairs.
Cumberland County told ABC11 on Tuesday that an attorney for the landowners said that financially, they aren't able to make the repairs.
"To lose your home behind someone else's negligence, and then for them to try to place the blame on you isn't right," Glover said.
Weeks ago, the county sent letters asking residents to make arrangements to move away. On Tuesday, the county sent a statement to ABC11.
"At this time, we are not taking any actions against the residents. We are only trying to enforce the public health laws against the owners," the statement said.
Buying residents like Glover more time to save up.
"No one has nowhere to go, because if that were the case, we would've already been gone," Glover said.
